[LAW-LIB:56139] Law in the movies

From: Anderson, Lorelle (lorelle.anderson@famu.edu)
Date: Sun Jul 20 2008 - 08:48:14 PDT

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    Greetings, everyone, on this lovely post-AALL Sunday!

     

    This weekend I saw The Dark Knight, which is a truly excellent movie I
    recommend to everyone. One plot point in particular turned on RICO, and
    my friend looked in my direction to see if I approved of their handling
    of it. I did. This is one of the movies that gets it right!

     

    It led me to thinking of how we use movies (usually My Cousin Vinnie and
    A Civil Action) as teaching tools. Those two get it right. Dark Knight
    got it right. But what are the movies that get it wrong?

     

    The Pelican Brief has always annoyed the heck out of me with Julia
    Roberts invoking FOIA to get immediate personal (unsupervised) access to
    material closed to the public. Double Jeopardy's whole premise is
    wrong. What are some other examples? What are your favorite movies or
    TV shows that get the law right or hilariously wrong? Answer to me or
    the list, and I'll summarize it all. Bonus points if it's something
    easily available on DVD. Minus points if it's from Law and Order. :-)

     

    I'd like to use clips as a teaching tool and a fun library social
    activity. I think Hollywood examples might get concepts to stick in a
    way that a classroom presentation wouldn't.

     

    Thanks very much!

     

    Lorelle Anderson

    Assistant Director for Public Services

    FAMU College of Law Library

    201 Beggs Ave.

    Orlando, FL 32801

    407-254-3288

     



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